I have eaten here a handful of times and the owner is lovely. He is very professional and quick to…read morefind us a table in the full restaurant. The most recent time I went I had the fish of the day and my friend had a pizza and unfortunately I was not very impressed with the food. The previous times I have eaten here and had tried several of the pasta dishes I was not disappointed but also was not raving about it afterwards. Maybe it's just not my cup of tea as every time I have gone here, it is always busy with the locals. Although the ambiance was great, the wine was good and service prompt, I think next time I would face the drive into town for something else

Who would have known this sensational restaurant was located in the middle of the suburban areas,…read moreThe Gardens. Absolutely fantastic Italian! I came here the other night for the first time after having heard many great things; I was not disappointed. We started our dining experience with some garlic bread, YUM! It was delicious. Very large, it comes out like a pizza, with 8 substantial size slices. Next we shared some fabulous calamari, cooked to perfection; and deep friend camembert, AMAZING! Our mains did not fail to live up to our starter and entrees. The mains were massive meals that all came with potatoes and veges. This restaurant has a wonderful feel about it. The staff are incredibly accommodating and really want to make sure you're getting the dining experience you deserve. I have to rate this place a solid 5 out of 5! I will certainly be coming back to try the pastas, pizzas and desserts!!

Absolutely amazing place, when you enter the restaurant you feel like being beamed into Italy. The…read morestaff gave us a warm welcome and we were offered to chose ourselves a free table. Immediately they served a bottle of still water and brought the menu. We choose pizza (Salmon and Italian, Italian is with meatballs) and ordered a bottle of New Zealand local wine. Everything was great, especially the meatballs. The bill was NZD 83. A fair price. Also free water top up was offered. I would wish to have this place at home, I would go very often. This place is a clear recommendation, go for it.

We were staying at the Cordis across the street, Da Vinci's is a stones throw from the ground…read morefloor/back entrance. To be honest we didn't have high expectations, however we were pleasantly surprised. Firstly the service was outstanding! Refilled drinks, cleared empty dishes, and checked on us to make sure everything was good. Now the food.... The garlic bread isn't the usual US variety because it was better. The pasta was fresh and excellently prepared, their red sauce was delicious The lasagna dish appeared to be quite good also, I didn't get to taste it as it vanished too quickly!

Found this place on trip advisor and was excited to have handmade, fresh pasta. Unfortunately, we…read moreunderestimated how tiny and popular this place is because we showed up only to be told that we needed a reservation. Sadly for us, they were totally booked up that night. We were about to turn away when my cousin thought to ask about takeout. I'm kind of surprised the server didn't ask us if we wanted to do that and was ready to let us walk out. We ordered 3 pasta dishes, a side of meatballs, and 3 pieces of tigella bread. That came out to about $70 USD. I might be a little off because I'm not sure about the conversion. Price wise, I'm not entirely convinced it was worth it. $70 for 3 people is expensive, but at the same time, FRESH, HANDMADE pasta! The food was good. No doubt about that. I'm glad we got a mix of flavors to share though, because it was one of those meals where you can only eat so much before your mouth starts to reject it. I LOVE cheese, but the tortellini with cream and parmigiano reggiano started feeling very heavy. It went perfectly in between bites of the tagliatelle with Bolognese though. The spaghetti alla chittara with gorgonzola and walnuts was my least favorite, but it was my cousin's favorite. Just a matter of preference. I was still willing to eat it though. The meatballs were so good. Perfectly seasoned and paired with the sauce. I was disappointed to see an order only had 4 pieces, but I don't know how much it cost. The bread was also delicious. The texture reminded me of a waffle, not quite crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. One order is only one disk-shaped pieced about the size of your hand. If I could, would I come again? I'm very tempted by the other items in their menu. As a person on vacation with little thought to budget, I absolutely would come again. If I was a local and had to watch my wallet, this place would be a treat, not something I could have often.

omg I LOOOOVE this place. I am a big fan of pasta (and carbs in general) and after complaining to…read moremy boyfriend about how much I miss Italy, I was sooo happy to find Pasta & Cuore. I walk by here all the time on my way to Rad coffee, and I'd really been wanting to go in. The restaurant is TINY, and reservations are required, but it's so worth it. I came here with a group of friends and we wined and dined for a good two hours. I ordered the gnocchi with vegetables and it was fluffly, light, and freaking delicious. The portions are small but enough to fit dessert after and an appetizer first. The selection of Italian wines is fantastic, I was so excited to try as many as I could. I'm pretty sure I spent more money on wine than on food that night. My boyfriend ordered dessert after dinner and was happy about that. They have a tiramisu which I would die for if it was vegan. I would definitely recommend this place for a relaxed dinner with friends if you love pasta, wine and Italy!

This place is amazing. The chef Maria is absolutely a fantastic cook. Food is great! Everything is…read morefreshly cooked. Easily my favour Italian restaurant.

Not bad place for a good meal. I've eaten here several…read moretimes when I have visited Auckland. My favorite thing about this place is that I can sit down and have a nice casual meal without resorting to the fast food joints in the area or the too fancy dining establishments. Little Italy has a neighborhood "joint" feel. The place is pretty small and seating at some of the tables are a bit tight but the staff has been very quick and the food has arrived promptly. There's nothing fancy about the place, but it's not a bad choice for a comfortable meal.

If you haven't had really damn good Italian food, Little Italy might seem alright. However, to pay…read more$23 for a plate of penne with a watery arrabbiatta and very thinly sliced cheap salami is not acceptable in my book. My friend had the tortellini which was clearly frozen and not handmade, with once again a watery cream sauce and pieces of avocado! It is true that this place has a cozy 'neighbourhood joint' feel to it but there is a very fine line between cozy and just tacky. The blinking fairy lights, too small booths and being able to hear everyone's conversation a small neighbourhood italian joint it does not make. Our waitress was very nice but a bit clueless about interrupting our conversation to ask if we needed anything and then not realize we needed water top ups. It seemed like everyone else in the restaurant was a tourist, which makes me think that this place is one of the few tourist traps in the CBD. My advice: for the price yelpers local and foreign can definitely find better.

OMG. I love this place!!! It is so cute. We came here yesterday when it was pouring down. Not that…read moremany people inside. They sell lots of different products that you would not often see in central Auckland. I think the guy serving everyone had had a rough day as he didn't seem very cheery. Service was still good though but a happy face would have made it top notch. I ordered a soy hot chocolate which was yum but I guess you can't really mess that up. He had a long black which was made very well. I ordered the curry of the day (Thai chicken) and it was ok, I have had better as the chicken was dry and the courgette flavour was strong, quite fusion. He had their big breakfast which apparently was a lot nicer than any other one he had back in Auckland. I thought they are all the same hahaha. When leaving was I tempted to try their cabinet food so I got a cheesecake brownie and a strawberry brownie to take away. LOVED IT. He usually doesn't like sweet food (like most guys) but he loved it too! Kitchen closes at 2.30pm but cabinet food goes until close. I would highly recommend this cafe and then you could stop by clevedon coast oysters before or after = perfect day

So you've gone on your country drive down south and you're feeling parched. Perhaps you are on the…read morehunt for fresh veges, fruit or a jar of jam? Well, Ciao Bella has both a nice, homey looking country cafe with an Italian twist, as well as all your farmer's market needs. They hold the Italian Country Market here every weekend, but don't hesitate to venture here another day. They also have the most amazing bathroom, covered in multi-coloured tiles. Feels like an acid trip from the 60s. Basically, it's a breath of fresh air on your journey to Clevedon or beyond.

Went there for dinner during weekday/public holiday. Great atmosphere and semi-dark yellow lighting…read moremade the place feel more cozy and candle-light vibe. Clean layout, great staff and prompt service. I ordered crisph pork belly from the main and it was delicious. Great portion, very crispy skin and tender/tasty pork. Perfectly cooked. My friends have spaghetti bolognese as main and the portion size is very substantial and meaty. Recommend this if you are craving for simple italian tomato based spaghetti. Main size was so substantial and delicious, forgot to leave some space for dessert. Waiter also mentioned, every monday, they do $10 pasta special, so you can get main size pasta for $10. If you are after bargain and same time decent meal, check this place as trial on monday~

Spaghetti bolognaise was too dry no sauce what so ever. I hope the chef reads my reviewread more

Loved this place. The interior has a modern hip vibe with an open warehouse feel. Large windowed…read moredoors open up to views of the harbor. We had reservations and got a lovely table near those windows. They recommended sharing plates so we had the pappardelle which comes with a lamb ragu, the monk fish, and the cauliflower side. The main courses were excellent. The ragu was a nice comfort food with a rich taste over homemade noodles. The monk fish was light and tropical with a fennel and fruit side. These two dishes were nice compliments of each other. The cauliflower wasn't my fav but it was more of a personal taste so don't keep me from having you try it. I chose a local wine which was delicious. Love trying local wine when possible. We walked from our hotel so no parking worries. Service was excellent. Our server walked us through several of her and of patrons favorite options. Great stop.

This resto is awesome. Food and service is top notch. Their seafood dishes are next level.read more

This place is outstanding. Friendly staff and delicious food. I had a pizza followed by Summer…read moreBerry Crème Bruleé.